HORSES AND FANTASIA IN MOROCCO
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| by Here Morocco |
Magnificent ornate Arab stallions gallop in unison, ridden by flamboyant djellabas riders armed with black powder rifles. At the end of a frantic gallop under the encouragement of the crowd, all the detonations of the rifles must then merge in a single thunderclap. It's called the Tbourida fantasia in Morocco, and it's a breathtaking sight not to be missed.
Morocco is a country of tradition whose most important festivals and the most lively customs are of religious inspiration.
The word religion does not mean here ostracism or extremism. It is rather a question of expressing joy, solidarity, the happiness of being together, in the wider circle which includes the family, the village, the tribe or a region.
Traditionally curious, Moroccans love to discover and make people discover. This is what you feel in the souk in Marrakech or Fes, the most important is not to sell or buy, it is to talk over a tea, to exchange laughs and looks.
The most important custom of Morocco is actually that of the art of welcome. Whatever the celebration, the custom, the place, the arms, and the heart are open to each other with naturalness and sincerity.
The term Fantasia means "entertainment", whatever its origin (Latin or European). It is the symbol of warlike virtuosity. The fantasia was made famous thanks to the painting by Delacroix. It ensures the continuity of military equestrian customs. In the 19th century, it reproduced the glorious assaults of Arab and Berber military tactics. Today the crossbow has been replaced by the powder charge. Aged at least four years, the training of beards or Arabs-beards meets specific rules. The rider and his companion must know the exact sequence of the figures prepared in the group. The teams are made up of two to twenty riders. Group cohesion is essential. The riders set off at the cry of the signal "Hadar the khayle! "(The horses are ready!) And must finish the race by simultaneously firing a shot in the air. To synchronize the shots and hear only one detonation, these riders are "led" by a chief who tells them when to shoot in the air by shouting "Hadar Lamkahal! "(To your guns!). It is then the intensity of the “youyous” women that determine the winners.
An equestrian technique is essential to perform this technical prowess. Agility, daring, and courage are qualities more than necessary. The riders are dressed in a white jumpsuit, a belt tied behind, and a "haik" piece of cloth in which they are draped. With slippers high on their feet, they also carry a small leather satchel containing extracts from the Koran and a curved dagger. Embroidered silk, maroquin leathers, gold or honeycombed metals, the horses also exhibit sumptuous harnesses.
Widespread in a large majority of the regions of the Kingdom, this tribal demonstration has persisted in becoming a rural and religious tradition. It is practiced to celebrate the monsoon (Moussem) and in parallel a protective saint or healer of the tribe.
We can sometimes attend this event at a local politico-cultural event or very important celebrations.
Fantasia is a traditional Moroccan culture that reflects the performance of the strong relationship between man and horse
The Fantasia consists of a group of riders dressed in traditional clothing who line up at the same speed on a straight path with about two hundred meters all the riders shoot in the sky using an old powder rifle. The difficulty of the performance is synchronization during acceleration especially during shooting so that a single shot is heard. The two words in Arabic which describe the main events of Fantasia are "harrka", which means "movement" and "barood" meaning "gunpowder". The Fantasia horse is of Arab or Moroccan beard type.
The riders move along a straight path at the same speed to form a line, at the end of the journey all the riders shoot in the sky using an old powder rifle called "moukahla".
Each region of Morocco has one or more groups of fantasia, called serba, totaling thousands of riders throughout the country. The performances generally take place at local, cultural, religious or seasonal festivals, also called mousseum. The Fantasia is best characterized as an event with a team of horses competing and complemented by gunfire sounds. Fantasia horses are well trained and cared for stallions and no ordinary working horse is allowed to participate in Fantasia.
perfect example of traditional Moroccan folklore includes hundreds of male and female riders who wear traditional clothing. You can also discover Fantasia in Marrakech, in the evening outside the city walls near Bab Jdid in July. There is also a restaurant called "Chez Ali" in the palm groves of Marrakech which offers Fantasia, as entertainment, with Berber songs, dances and fireworks while you dine on a traditional miswhi meal.
You can almost feel the ground vibrate under the hooves of the pure Arabian bloods who charge at a gallop encouraged by the cries of their riders. Then at the end of a frantic race, it is the apotheosis. Shots sound like a single big explosion, the power of which surprises us even if we expected it. The riders and their mounts are engulfed in a cloud of smoke for a brief moment, before reappearing perfectly aligned in front of the spectators as if to bow out, in a rain of applause. We just have time to recover from our emotions and admire the beauty of their outfits and the richness of their adornments before they turn around and beat backward while trotting. I can assure you that no one stands still in front of such an impressive spectacle.
Morocco is a country of tradition whose most important festivals and the most lively customs are of religious inspiration.
The word religion does not mean here ostracism or extremism. It is rather a question of expressing joy, solidarity, the happiness of being together, in the wider circle which includes the family, the village, the tribe or a region.
Traditionally curious, Moroccans love to discover and make people discover. This is what you feel in the souk in Marrakech or Fes, the most important is not to sell or buy, it is to talk over a tea, to exchange laughs and looks.
The most important custom of Morocco is actually that of the art of welcome. Whatever the celebration, the custom, the place, the arms, and the heart are open to each other with naturalness and sincerity.
history of the Fantasia:
An equestrian technique is essential to perform this technical prowess. Agility, daring, and courage are qualities more than necessary. The riders are dressed in a white jumpsuit, a belt tied behind, and a "haik" piece of cloth in which they are draped. With slippers high on their feet, they also carry a small leather satchel containing extracts from the Koran and a curved dagger. Embroidered silk, maroquin leathers, gold or honeycombed metals, the horses also exhibit sumptuous harnesses.
Widespread in a large majority of the regions of the Kingdom, this tribal demonstration has persisted in becoming a rural and religious tradition. It is practiced to celebrate the monsoon (Moussem) and in parallel a protective saint or healer of the tribe.
We can sometimes attend this event at a local politico-cultural event or very important celebrations.
Fantasia in Morocco:
The Fantasia consists of a group of riders dressed in traditional clothing who line up at the same speed on a straight path with about two hundred meters all the riders shoot in the sky using an old powder rifle. The difficulty of the performance is synchronization during acceleration especially during shooting so that a single shot is heard. The two words in Arabic which describe the main events of Fantasia are "harrka", which means "movement" and "barood" meaning "gunpowder". The Fantasia horse is of Arab or Moroccan beard type.
The riders move along a straight path at the same speed to form a line, at the end of the journey all the riders shoot in the sky using an old powder rifle called "moukahla".
Each region of Morocco has one or more groups of fantasia, called serba, totaling thousands of riders throughout the country. The performances generally take place at local, cultural, religious or seasonal festivals, also called mousseum. The Fantasia is best characterized as an event with a team of horses competing and complemented by gunfire sounds. Fantasia horses are well trained and cared for stallions and no ordinary working horse is allowed to participate in Fantasia.
perfect example of traditional Moroccan folklore includes hundreds of male and female riders who wear traditional clothing. You can also discover Fantasia in Marrakech, in the evening outside the city walls near Bab Jdid in July. There is also a restaurant called "Chez Ali" in the palm groves of Marrakech which offers Fantasia, as entertainment, with Berber songs, dances and fireworks while you dine on a traditional miswhi meal.
The Fantasy of Fantasia:
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